A 2D time-dependent fluid simulation code of plasma and neutrals in magnetic fusion devices.
UEDGE is an interactive suite of physics packages using the BASIS or Python scripting systems. UEDGE was initiated in the early 1990's as a collaborative project between LLNL, INEL, and SNL to exploit implicit time-advancement methods for 2D plasma and neutral transport in the edge region of magnetic fusion devices [Rognlien 1992, Smith 1995]. The code is written in Fortran and has used the BASIS scripting system since its inception that provides a powerful interactive steering and diagnostic capability. As Python has developed, it provides many of the features of BASIS plus a larger set of capabilities. Thus, the first UEDGE Python capability was developed in 2007, which was then further developed under the FACETS SciDAC project [Cary 2008, McCourt 2012]. Most recently, a standalone Python UEDGE has been made available (see the INSTALL instructions above).
The plasma is described by time-dependent 2D plasma fluid equations that include equations for density, velocity, ion temperature, electron temperature, electrostatic potential, and in the edge region of a magnetic fusion energy confinement device. Fluid equations are also used to describe the neutral gas components in the edge region, and coupling to Monte Carlo neutrals is possible, but is not the common mode of simulation. Slab, cylindrical, and toroidal geometries are all options, and closed and open magnetic field-line regions are included. Classical transport is assumed along magnetic field lines, and anomalous transport is assumed across field lines. Multi-charge state impurities can be included with the corresponding line-radiation energy loss.
A fully implicit numerical algorithm is used that allows both Newton-like iterations to steady state and time-dependent solutions with large time-steps. A preconditioning matrix is obtained by approximate (ILUT) inversion of a numerical finite-difference Jacobian, which is then used in a Newton-Krylov solution algorithm. A finite-volume differencing algorithm is used. Over 95% of the coding is in Fortran with the remainder being C.
Although UEDGE is written in Fortran, for efficient execution and analysis of results, it utilizes either Python or BASIS scripting shells. Python is easily available for many platforms (http://www.Python.org/). The features and availability of BASIS are described in "Basis Manual Set" by P.F. Dubois, Z.C. Motteler, et al., Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory report UCRL-MA-118541, June, 2002 and http://basis.llnl.gov/). BASIS has been reviewed and released by LLNL for unlimited distribution. The Python version utilizes PYBASIS scripts developed by D.P. Grote, LLNL. The Python version also uses MPPL code and MAC Perl script, available from the public-domain BASIS source above. The Forthon version of UEDGE uses the same source files but utilizes Forthon to produce a Python-compatible source. Forthon has been developed by D.P. Grote (see http://hifweb.lbl.gov/Forthon/ and Grote et al. in the references below), and it is freely available. The graphics can be performed by any package importable to Python, such as PYGIST. The parallel version of UEDGE available through Python also uses the PETSc linear algebra solver whose development has been led by ANL (https://www.mcs.anl.gov/petsc/).
UEDGE can also be coupled to other codes. An excellent example is couplling to the DUSTT code from UCSD (contact [email protected]) that follows the trajectories and ablation of dust particles in the background UEDGE plasma and provides impurity sources to UEDGE. For an example, see R. Smirnov et al., Phys. Plasmas 22 (2015) 012506.
The easiest way to try out UEDGE is to download a static executable that should run on any Linux system; see the link to the executable [see uedge_executable file]. Generally, you will also need an input file that defines the geometry, mesh size, and various input parameters. The simplest cases are 2D slab models, but there are many examples availabe for the poloidal cross-section of different tokamaks, both single- and double-null magnetic configurations.
The second method, preferred if you intent to use and possibly modify UEDGE, is to download and install the Python version of UEDGE. For this method, see the INSTALL file above (amoung UEDGE github files above) for step-by-step instructions. Again, there are a number of examples of input files available from the authors.
Sent email to one of the developers listed below expressing your interest in modifying or developing packages for UEDGE. Either new or improved physics models or numerical algorithms are most welcome.
T.D. Rognlien, I. Joseph, W.H. Meyer, M.E. Rensink, and M.V. Umansky, LLNL
([email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected])
P.N. Brown, R.H. Cohen, D.P. Grote, A.C. Hindmarsh, L.L. LoDestro, J.L. Milovich, A. Pankin, G.D. Porter, and G.R. Smith, all presently or formerly at LLNL; M. McCourt, L.C. McInnes, and H. Zhang, ANL; J.R. Cary, A.H. Hakim, S.E. Kruger, and A. Pankin, Tech-X; D.A. Knoll, INEEL; D.P. Stotler, PPPL; B.J. Braams, retired, IAEA; A.Yu. Pigarov and R. Smirnov, UCSD; J.D. Elder, U. Toronto; M. Groth, Aalto Univ.; and R.B. Campbell, Sandia.
UEDGE development
T.D. Rognlien, J.L. Milovich, M.E. Rensink, and G.D. Porter, J. Nucl. Mat. 196-198 (1992) 347-351.
G.R. Smith, P.N. Brown, R.B. Campbell, D.A. Knoll, P.R. McHugh, M.E. Rensink, and T.D. Rognlien, J. Nucl. Mater. 220-222 (1995) 1024.
M.E. Rensink and T.D. Rognlien, J. Nucl. Mater. 266-269 (1999) 1180.
T.D. Rognlien, D.D. Ryutov, N. Mattor, and G.D. Porter, Phys. Plasmas 6, (1999) 1851.
T.D. Rognlien, M.E. Rensink, and G.R. Smith, "User manual for the UEDGE edge-plasma transport code," January 2000, LLNL Rpt. UCRL-ID-137121, lastest revision May 1, 2013.
Forthon development
D. P. Grote, A. Friedman, I. Haber, ``Methods used in WARP3d, a Three-Dimensional PIC/Accelerator Code'', Proceedings of the 1996 Computational Accelerator Physics Conference, AIP Conference Proceedings 391, p. 51.
See also: http://hifweb.lbl.gov/Forthon/ .
FACETS project
J.R. Cary, J. Candy, R.H. Cohen et al., J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 125 (2008) 012040.
A.H. Hakim, T.D. Rognlien, R.J. Groebner et al., Phys. Plasmas 19 (2012) 032505.
M. McCourt, T.D. Rognlien, L.C. McInnes, and H. Zhang, Computational Science & Discovery 5 (2012) 014012.
UEDGE is released under an LGPL license. For more details see the NOTICE and LICENSE files.